“We have officially handed the nine people to the immigration. We’ll help immigration in transporting them to Merauke town today,” said Mr. Setiadi, adding at least six of the nine are Sudanese.

The coastal town of Merauke, about 4,200 kilometers east of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, is located just 70 kilometers west of the Papua New Guinea border and roughly 300 kilometers northwest of Australia’s continent.

The migration of people by sea has become a crisis in the region, and a key political issue for Australian voters.

Earlier this week, in another boat accident north of Australia’s Christmas Island, five people are believed to be dead, while the remaining 106 people were rescued, Australian maritime authorities said.

Some of the accidents have been linked to people seeking a better life. But others have been linked to criminal gangs smuggling people for low-paying jobs that can amount to a type of slavery.

The meeting brought together officials from countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar– sources of migrants–transit countries like Indonesia and Thailand, and the destination country of Australia. Cambodia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka also participated in the talks.

About Southeast Asia Real Time

Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

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